The present invention relates generally to protection against an accidental sharps injury or stick. More particularly, the present invention relates to a retractable lancet device for protection from an accidental sharps injury or stick from a used sharps member of the type commonly associated with finger sticks.
For some time, the art has recognized the desirability of protecting personnel from accidental sharps injuries or needle sticks. More recently, concerns have been expressed about the possibility of transmitting serious or potentially fatal infection as a result of such accidents. Most recently, legislation requiring the use of safe needle technology is pending in a number of states and before the Occupation Safety and Health Administration. Although the art has recognized the desirability of protecting against accidental sharps injuries or needle sticks, it is believed that practical protective devices, particularly lancet devices, are still not available.
Various methods of providing a preloaded retraction assembly which permit one hand operation are known. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,209,739, 5,928,200 and 5,836,917, European Patent No. 0 480 862 A1, and commonly assigned PCT Application Nos. PCT/US97/20646 and PCT/US99/29541.
Another concern with prior art devices is the complicated and costly manufacturing processes. With the tremendous number of syringes and other needle devices used by the medical community, any substantial rise in cost of the products is undesirable and generally unacceptable.
Accordingly, there is a need for a lancet device having an automatically retracted used sharps member that can be used in a conventional manner and does not require elaborate manufacturing.
The present invention relates to a retractable sharps assembly comprising a generally hollow housing and a sharps unit. The housing comprises first and second ends, each end with an opening into the housing, and a shoulder proximate the first end and extending into the hollow housing. The sharps unit comprises a frame having forward and rear ends and configured such that the forward end is received through the first end and into the hollow housing. A trigger mechanism extends from the frame adjacent the rear end. A shelf having a sharps member extending therefrom is positioned in the frame and has a rest position a given distance from the forward end. At least one elastic member extends between the shelf and the forward end. As the frame is inserted into and moved forward in the hollow housing, the shelf is initially retained by the shoulder such that the elastic member is loaded between the shelf and forward end until such time as the trigger mechanism interacts with the shoulder causing the shelf to disengage therefrom. The stored energy in the elastic member drives the sharps member towards the forward end and through the second end opening as the shelf moves further inwardly from the rest position toward the forward end, thereby compressing the elastic member. The elastic thereafter relaxes to retract the sharps member within the housing.